Denise Agre-Gill-47

Name: Denise Agre-Gill
Email: deagra@me.com
Age at time of Dissection: 47
Type of Dissection: Ascending
Date of Aortic Dissection: 30 October 2014
Tell Us Your Story:

M y husband, Kevin, suffered an aortic dissection in the early morning hours (12:15 AM was surgery time) of Oct 30, 2014. He stated earlier on the phone to me(he was living and working in Des Moines as the Fire Chief of the Des Moines Airport for Pro Tec Fire Services)that he felt like he had the flu and was headed to bed. About an hour later he called and stated he was going to the ER by ambulance due to back pain chest pain and jaw pain.

He called frequently to keep me updated at the ER and at midnight he called to say they were taking him into surgery and that the surgeon told him to call tell me what he wanted to tell me because it may be the last time he ever got to talk with me. Kevin was in surgery for 10 hours. He woke up out of surgery and was fine until the morning of Oct 31, 2014 when his right carotid artery dissected and he suffered a stroke. This was repaired in the cath lab. He was sedated because of pain of the next ten days. It was very much touch and go.

He was in the Cardiac ICU for a total of 14 days. The ICU nurses were AMAZING at Mercy Hospital in Des MOines, especially Nadira! His dissecting had gone over the aortic arch into the common carotid and up into the right carotid into the right subclavian. We were blessed! He is a miracle! He came home to Columbia, MO for rehab and he then suffered a pulmonary embolism. They had trouble regulating his blood pressure meds and he kept passing out. All this was dealt with and then his right femoral artery form a huge clot so they just got done by passing that.

He is doing well, but his work fired him for this condition. He is trying for disability but it’s hard because he is not 50.The government prefers you be 50 for disability. He is trying to find a job but no one wants him with this medical condition. We are taking one day at a time and hoping for the best